UPDATE (10:42 PM PT): Phil Jackson and the New York Knicks are nearing a deal to sign former Laker, Lamar Odom according to ESPN’s Marc Stein:
“Phil Jackson and the New York Knicks are progressing toward a deal to sign veteran free agent Lamar Odom before the NBA regular season ends Wednesday, according to sources briefed on the situation.”
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It has been a rough few years to say the least for two-time NBA champion Lamar Odom. Ever since the Lakers traded him to the Dallas Mavericks back in 2011, it has been nothing but a downhill decline for the former Sixth Man of the Year.
Fortunately for Odom, the New York Knicks may be willing to give him another chance to resurrect his NBA career.
According to ESPN’s Marc Stein, the Knicks have been considering signing Odom since his stint playing in Spain came to an end:
The New York Knicks have expressed interest in signing veteran free agent Lamar Odom, according to sources close to the situation.
Sources told ESPN.com that the Knicks, at the behest of new team president Phil Jackson, have been looking into the possibility of signing Odom since the 34-year-old’s short stint playing in Spain ended and are weighing whether to go through with adding the Queens native to their roster before the regular season ends.
After Odom proved to be a disappointment in Spain, the consensus was that his basketball career was officially over. Although the Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers expressed interest earlier in the season, it was thought that no NBA team would roll the dice on the troubled forward.
With Phil Jackson taking over as the new president of the Knicks, it doesn’t come as much of a surprise that he’d consider bringing in Odom. Jackson wants to change the culture in New York and he’ll likely continue to bring in familiar faces in order to do so.
Odom may be a gamble at this point, but it seems to be one that Jackson is willing to take.
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